Governor would double gun license fees

[beevul]

Governor would double gun license fees

By Nelson Sigelman
Published: July 17, 2008

Island hunters and target shooters would be hard hit by a proposal from Gov. Deval Patrick to double the licensing fees now paid by registered gun owners and add an additional annual fee for gun dealers. The governor proposed the fees in a supplemental budget that must still be approved by the legislature.

If approved the cost of a firearms license would increase from the current $100 to $200. In addition, the bill would establish a new annual $100 license inspection fee for gun dealers and increase the cost of a temporary license for out-of-state carriers from $100 to $250, according to the State House News Service.

Unlike the revenue from fishing and hunting licenses, which support programs within the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, the revenue collected from the increases would be directed to the state's General Fund.

The increase would be the first since 2003, when lawmakers approved an increase from $25 to the current $100 license renewal fee.

Mr. Delisle said the proposal has its roots in the general anti-gun philosophy shared by many lawmakers and a strategy to reduce crime, a view that he does not support. "They figure they might as well sock it to us," he said.

http://www.mvtimes.com/2008/07/17/news/gun-license-fees.php

Fortunately, Senators Brewer and O'Leary - Democrats - aren't buying this business.

I urge anyone interested to call them and thank them for being reasonable.

[greenvpi]

1. It would definitely help wrt safety!

Why not triple them? That would help even more.

[Recursion]

2. Are you being sarcastic?

And if not, how would it do that?

[SteveM]

6. Familiarize yourself with Amendment XXIV...

And ask yourself, who was the "poll tax" aimed at? In fact, what is the whole body of gun-control legislation aimed at? SEE: www.georgiacarry.org and scroll to Heller brief for a history lesson.

[tburnsten]

3. Holy cow!

The increase would be the first since 2003, when lawmakers approved an increase from $25 to the current $100 license renewal fee.

WHAT! Look at that! they increased the fee from $25 to $100 in ONE year! That is horrific!

[virginia mountainman]

4. Seems like a poll tax to me.

I wonder in light of the "Heller" finding of an "individual right" whether or not, such things can stand?

HIGHLY DOUBTFULL...

[Real_Talk]

5. A bargain at $.100.

Well, a bargain if you compare it to the hundreds it would cost in NYC.

[Tejas]

7. even the antis sometimes "get it"

in regards to proposals to eliminate the fees entirely:



"John Rosenthal, co-founder of Stop Handgun Violence, said eliminating fees entirely would be “extreme” but that the increases proposed by the governor were “a little too much.”

“It’s a shame we can’t charge criminals who really should bear this cost,” he said. “For many, that may be a very onerous user fee.”"



note:
Sen. Stephen Brewer, D-Barre - Brewer said he has a bill pending to cut existing licensing fees from $100 to $25

[jody]

8. Stupid statement "charge criminals". A person is not a criminal until sentenced and the sentence

for committing a crime with a gun in possession should be served sequentially, not concurrently with other sentences.

It's time the strident gun-grabber subset of the anti-RKBA minority group stop attacking law-abiding citizens and start fighting law-breaking citizens.